Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a forceful address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, focusing primarily on Iran’s nuclear threat and criticizing several countries and figures for their positions on Israel. The speech, which came amid the lead-up to Israel’s Oct. 27 elections, highlighted Netanyahu’s defiant stance on national security and his ongoing campaign against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In his remarks, Netanyahu drew on the legacy of his late brother Yoni, a paratrooper killed in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, recalling his brother’s determination during Israel’s earlier conflicts. “We’re going to win. We have no other choice,” Netanyahu declared, framing the current confrontation with Iran as a continuation of Israel’s historical fight for survival.
Netanyahu explicitly condemned Iran’s regime, emphasizing Israel’s efforts to halt its nuclear program. He recounted striking Iran’s nuclear facilities as a crucial and necessary decision, asserting it was “one of the easiest decisions” he had made as prime minister due to the existential threat involved. He stated that Israel’s actions have also protected many countries whose representatives walked out of the hall before his speech began, a group that included delegations from Iran, the Palestinian Authority, and Qatar.
The Israeli leader criticized what he described as a “cowardly” walkout by some UN delegates and urged any others who had not left to do so. In response, Iranian representatives left a picture of the late Qassem Soleimani, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander killed in a U.S. strike in 2020. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon dismissed the gesture, suggesting photographs were all Iran had left of their senior commanders.
Netanyahu also addressed the broader international community, acknowledging differences with former U.S. President Donald Trump but praising his “bold leadership” in confronting Iran alongside Israel. He portrayed their joint efforts as crucial to “saving civilization” from the fanaticism of Iran’s ruling ayatollahs, who chant calls for the destruction of Israel and the United States.
A notable part of the speech involved Netanyahu holding up a Starlink device, which facilitates internet access for Iranian dissidents, claiming the regime “is especially afraid” of its people’s ability to communicate freely. He implied the Iranian government’s grip on power might be weaker than it appears in the ongoing conflicts with Israel and the U.S.
Netanyahu also launched sharp criticisms against other regional actors. He accused Qatar of financing widespread campaigns to spread “lies” about Israel in U.S. universities and media, which he said aim to “brainwash young minds” against Israel and the West. Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was called out as a “super-spreader of antisemitic lies” and accused of acting tyrannically, disregarding peacekeeping norms, and seeking to expand influence in Syria.
Amid chants of “Free Palestine” by protestors outside the UN headquarters, Netanyahu’s speech underscored ongoing tensions surrounding Israel’s policies and regional security challenges as the country prepares for what may be a pivotal election.